Xabi Alonso Issues Message To Chelsea Supporters Ahead Of Spurs London Derby

Chelsea will be looking to maintain their unbeaten home run when Tottenham Hotspur make the short trip across London to Stamford Bridge on Saturday evening.

New boss Xabi Alonso will experience his first home London derby in just his fourth Premier League match at Stamford Bridge.

Alonso’s men are looking for successive home league wins for the first time since January as Chelsea look to climb the table.

Heading into the eighth round of matches, the west London side currently sit fourth in the league and are eight points behind league leaders Manchester City.

Chelsea have faced a challenging opening to the campaign, with fixtures against Brighton and Brentford followed by an away trip to the reigning champions. The latest outing saw them travel to Everton, who had yet to taste defeat at home ahead of the encounter.

Ahead of the derby, Alonso has acknowledged the significance of the occasion in his pre-match programme notes, recognising the importance of the rivalry to both Chelsea's supporters and players.

His notes said: "I know how much this game, and this rivalry, means to the supporters and I think we can expect a big atmosphere."

Following last weekend’s 2-0 victory over Everton at the Hill Dickinson Stadium, Alonso went over to the travelling Chelsea fans to thank them for their backing. Many would have set off in the early hours of the morning, making their support all the more significant. The Blues boss highlighted that ‘special moment’.

He said: "Every home game, we feel your support, and wherever we go away, whatever the time, the Chelsea fans are there, singing and backing the team. It was a special moment to go to the away section after the Everton game last weekend and celebrate that win with you all."

When Chelsea play Tottenham, the expectation is to win. It doesn’t matter how, and with the visitors having registered only one victory at Stamford Bridge since 1990, losing is not an option.

During the first five matches of the season, the 44-year-old had defensive issues to contend with. At one stage, the Blues had conceded a league-high 12 goals, but their defensive record has started to improve in recent matches.

Chelsea's defensive improvement has coincided with the return of Moises Caicedo, with the Blues conceding just once across their two matches since the midfielder returned to action.

The Ecuadorian midfielder spent the first six matches watching from the sidelines following a calf injury. Since his return, the club have registered back-to-back victories and look more reassured at the back.

Supporters will be hoping the defensive reassurance continues alongside the free-flowing attack, ignited by Cole Palmer, Morgan Rogers and Joao Pedro. The world champions host Tottenham and Manchester United in the Premier League, with two away trips scheduled, starting with Liverpool in the League Cup and then Sunderland in the league.

The bond with the supporters will be key, and Alonso is already showing signs of building that relationship early in his time at Stamford Bridge. 

With the relationship growing and the fixture taking on greater significance, Alonso spoke to reporters at the Cobham training ground ahead of the clash about creating an "electric" atmosphere at the stadium.

He said: "We are expecting a good atmosphere, electric, with good energy, knowing that in a derby this passion is really in the air in the stadium."

Saturday’s derby provides another opportunity for the Spaniard to strengthen that connection, with the home supporters hoping to play their part in the stands.